Saturday, February 28, 2009

A GREAT BLOGGING EXPERIENCE!!

This past week, I had the absolute best blogging experience ever! I met a blogger in person - an actual in-the-flesh person. Mary Ellen at Mary's Meanderings and I discovered a couple of months ago that we live fairly close here in Colorado, and started talking about getting together sometime. Well, this week we met in what we call our city (it's not very big in reality!) for a fun day of getting to know each other.
Mary obviously had me figured out before hand because she brought me this gift of a gorgeous plate from Bavaria and a package of a bath soak to use after a hard day of thrift shopping.

We arranged to meet at a thrift shop that we were both familiar with, and from there I drove us around town as supposedly I'm more familiar with the city. I went down a one-way street the wrong way just once, but we never really got lost!!

We went to the thrift stores and an antique/junk store, to my favorite bakery, to an estate sale, to a fun little restaurant in the historic district for lunch, and to Hobby Lobby. I was a bad blogger as I didn't even think to take my camera. Check out Mary's blog later as I'm sure she will post some pictures.

Mary is a great shopper, but I also managed to find at the estate sale this blue & white hand-embroidered table cloth in perfect condition for $2.50. Also, I picked up these 4 wooden napkin rings for $1.

Mary is just as warm and caring as she appears on her blog. It was a great day with good shopping, food, and laughs. But the best part of the day was meeting Mary in person!!

Sally

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

TABLESCAPE THURSDAY


Our Queen of Tablescapes, Susan, at Between Naps on the Porch
is once again hosting Tablescape Thursday. Please check out her blog for a whole bunch of wonderful tablescapes.

This week I am using my versatile white Mikasa Italian Countryside dinner plates combined with four different salad plates painted with berries. The green octagon plates and green glassware from the depression era are used to add some color.

I love to combine my old rustic boxes with the more elegant dishes.



Each salad plate is different; some were inherited and some were purchased along the way. When antique shopping, I always look for hand-painted 5"-6" plates with fruit or flowers, as each one is so individual and useful. China painting was a popular activity for women in the early 1900s.






Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

Monday, February 23, 2009

THEY ARE COMING AFTER ME!!!

What a cute little blue bowl! And it is only $2.00; I can't pass that up.Down the road - why there is another one and only $1.00!!


Another day - I need three for a collection!

Then there were more.

Oh my, they come in a lighter shade of blue.

What?? Green and even chartreuse!!

Gray and beige -I need my neutrals.

Light brown!!!

Dark brown!!!

Stop me!!! Save me from this mark!!!

The march of the 5" bowls!! They are coming this way!!! Protect me!!!

Thank goodness that the market for antiques is helping me out. I very rarely see these bowls for under $20 anymore; and with this many, I don't need to pay that kind of money. Or do I?

Friday, February 20, 2009

POTHOLDERS !!!!

For 25 years, I have been getting together with a group of friends for coffee every Wednesday morning. When it is some one's birthday we have breakfast and give small gifts. This year I decided to make quilted potholders for everyone. These two are the last of the bunch, and are for my friend, Marsha. They adore their Scotties, so I had to make one with "Sam" on it.

Marsha has the greenest thumb I know with a beautiful garden; consequently a rose was in order.

These paper-pieced patterns are by Irene Berry, an editor at Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. In every issue, she has a new 3" pattern; and I'm always able to find something from my old issues that is appropriate for my recipient. Check out Quilter's Newsletter here.


Have a glorious weekend!!!

Sally

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

WHAT'S ON YOUR WALL WEDNESDAY!!!


Barb at Grits and Glamour is hosting What's On Your Wall Wednesday, and I have decided to join in for the first time today. Please go check out her blog to find out the other participants in this fun activity.

For three generations my family was in the sheep ranching business on the prairies and mountains of Colorado. As a child, I remember being around the sheep pens and joining my Dad and Grandpa in the pickup doing sheep business. As I was not one to enjoy the outdoor life, it was never a fun activity for me. Nevertheless, I was fascinated by the sheep. As an adult after inheriting some of my great-grandmother's original sheep drawings and paintings, I started collecting sheep prints that were popular in the late 19th to early 20th century. Below are some of those that are on my walls.







I'll save some of the other prints, plus the original art for another day. Hope you enjoy a glimpse at my collection.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally

Sunday, February 15, 2009

SUSIE Q IS INTERVIEWING ME!!

Susie Q at Rabbit Run Cottage sent out offers to interview people on their blogs by sending them five questions to answer. It sounded like fun, and would maybe also help to revive my blog-fog brain. Before I answer the five questions she sent me; first, a few words about Sue's blog. It is one of my favorites because of its variety: she has just the type of home I love because it is filled with memories of her family and her travels; she takes us on such fun outings with her three-generational family (including her animals); she has a great sense of humor; and best of all, she is not afraid to say what is on her mind! She will take on any possible controversial subject and spell it out so eloquently. I'm always wishing I would have said that in the special way she does!!

And now Sue's questions for me---

1. Your blog is titled, "Salmagundi". Can you explain the meaning? Salmagundi, the food, means rows of different foods dressed with salad dressing. It can also mean a mixture of different items, ideas, and/or people. This seemed like where I was headed when I started blogging. I'm fond of alliteration, so have always liked the word because of my name, Sally, plus my last name is intertwined in the word, also.

2. You have been married for 50 happy years. Do you have some advice for the rest of us who wish to reach that oh so special milestone? I would never presume to think that what has worked for us will work for everyone; BUT since you asked, I'll expound a bit. I always think of all of those "C" words when thinking about successful marriage. The first one is COMMITMENT. We went into our marriage at age 19, knowing it was forever - no backing out ever! It was possible to do that because we had made the right CHOICE in a partner. We had known each other always, we were raised with the same values, and we had dated for a long, long time. COMPROMISE - both partners must compromise 100% of the time. That doesn't make sense mathematically, but in a relationship it is necessary to know you can't have exactly what you want. Usually, the result is even better than what you by yourself thought. We have always maintained a CHRISTIAN home. When you have faith in God, that removes the responsibility of your spouse to provide all of the joy in your life giving great freedom for love to grow between you. There are no CONTROL issues in our marriage - we have achieved oneness.

3. What is one of your most prized material possessions? I have so many, it is hard to choose - there are wonderful inherited dishes, gorgeous jewelry from my mother, furniture from great-grandparents, presents from my family (including my wedding ring from Bob). I can't choose, but I will tell you about a bible I have that was given to my great, great grandmother in 1846. Then she gave it to her son when he came west from Maine to Colorado in 1876. He didn't bring many possessions as he walked a good distance of the way, but the bible was cherished. Now, I have it.

4. What was you favorite book/movie/toy as a child? No doubt about it - I loved my dolls, my doll dishes, and my playhouse. I was a little wife/mother-in-training. And my favorite book:
Yes, the training was complete!! "Sally Goes Shopping Alone."

5. How did you meet your husband? I don't think we ever met. His family owned the grocery store, and Bob worked there from age 6 until we married. My parents and grandparents shopped at the store, and he was always there. Bob and I went to different grade schools, but when we entered high school in the 7th grade, we had classes together and shared a lot of the same friends. This is my favorite picture of those days - we were in the 7th grade, all gussied-up to go to a dance together, and I'm taller than he is!!!

Well, thank you, Sue for the fun questions! If any one would like to be interviewed by me, I would be happy to send you five questions - just leave a comment and tell me you are interested.


Thanks to everyone for the well wishes concerning my health. I'm still feeling puny and have test results, x-rays, and appointments scheduled this week. At this point, I don't think it is anything serious; but I sure would like to eat some REAL food. I'll get around to visiting when I have more energy.

Sally

Friday, February 13, 2009

BIRTHDAY AND VALENTINE WISHES!!


Wyatt, you stole our hearts from the beginning. And now, our 2002 Valentine baby has grown into such a sweetheart! Those adorable freckles and your playful spirit are impossible to resist. HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY!!

And, HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to both Caitlin and Wyatt. Because of you two, our hearts are full and overflowing. You are so much fun to have around.

Love from Grammy and Papa

AND TO ALL OF YOU IN BLOGLAND, MAY YOU HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY SPENT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES!!!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

THEMED THURSDAY - SHOES

Thanks to KD at Southern Whimsey for hosting Themed Thursday where the theme for this week is shoes. I don't own a single pair of shoes that I would consider cute or stylish. At my age, it is all about comfort. But, I consider these shoes to be adorable as they are only 1 inch long in size!!

These two pair of shoes belong to my Effanbee twin toddler dolls that I received as a child one Christmas from Santa Claus. I loved these two so much, and played and played with them!!!

Therefore, it is amazing to me that all of their original clothes and shoes have survived these 60++ years. The dolls are made of composition and have the softest, curliest lambswool hair.

Thanks for stopping by to view my favorite shoes. Please go check out Southern Whimsey for all of the other shoe-loving participants!



Please forgive me for being a bad blog visitor the past several days. I have been 'under the weather' since last week, and have missed checking all of your recent posts. Hopefully, by next week, I'll be back to my usual schedule. I've missed all of you!!!
Sally

EDIT: I just found out that Themed Thursday has been canceled for this week; but hopefully you will enjoy my take on 'shoes' anyway.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

BLUE MONDAY AND A RECIPE

I haven't participated in Blue Monday for awhile, so I decided I should search for something blue and participate once again. Please check our Sally at Smiling Sal for a list of all the other blue-lover participants.

When all else fails, I can always find a quilt around here that has some blue in it! Today, I have chosen a quilt entitled "Mother's Kitchen" that I made for inclusion in a book I wrote on two block quilt design. By combining a checkerboard block with an appliqued cherry block and using fabrics reminiscent of the 1950s, it brought back memories of my mother's kitchen.


And now for the recipe -- the cherries on the quilt reminded me of this recipe called "Cherry Berries on a Cloud". The preparation is spread out over two days; but don't let that scare you as it is really easy.

For the first part you need the following ingredients:

6 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 - 1/2 cups sugar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large mixer bowl on medium speed until foamy. On high speed, beat in 1 - 1/2 cups sugar, one tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff and glossy. Do not under beat.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with Pam. Divide the meringue and spread evenly in the two pans. Bake for one hour. Turn off oven; leave pans of meringue in oven with door closed at least 12 hours.

The next day for the filling you will need:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Mix cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and the vanilla. Beat whipping cream in separate chilled bowl until stiff. Fold whipped cream and marshmallows into cream cheese mixture; spread over cooked meringue. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Now for the topping, you will need:

1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling
1 package (16 oz.) frozen strawberries (thawed)
1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Mix pie filling, strawberries, and lemon juice together. This is also wonderful with fresh fruit in the summertime.

Cut into serving pieces and top with fruit topping. This makes two 9" round desserts, enough for at least 12 people. You can save one for you and your sweetheart, and give one away to a friend or neighbor on Valentine's Day! Yum!!!

Thanks for stopping by,
Sally